Mail-box.



J. C. TRIMBLE.

MAIL BOX.

APPLICATION mm APR.20. 1914.

awoemtoz Patented June 8, 1915.

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THE NORRIS PETERS co 4 Pnon; unm \Vdfvl P I i z i JESSE CARL TRIMIBLE, OF NORTH OTTER, ILLINOIS.

MAIL-BOX.

Application filedApri] 20, 1914.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I,Jnssii O. TRIMBLE, a citizen of the United States, residing at North Otter, in the county of Macoupin and tate of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Mail-Boxes, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in mail boxes, and applies more particularly to mail boxes intended for use in connection with the rural free delivery and parcel post systems.

The principal object of my invention is to provide a mail box which will be inexpensive of manufacture, and efficient in operation, and the design of which will be adapted for use in sheet metal boxes of large dimensions, wherein a rigidity of construction and economical distribution of metal is required.

Another object of my device is to provide effective means for opening and closing the box, allowing the operator to quickly and easily gain admission to the entire floor of the box for the application or removal of packages or mail.

With the above and other objects in view, my invention comprises the new and useful details of construction and arrangement of parts, which will be hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the annexed drawings, and pointed out more specifically in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein the preferred embodiment of my invention is illustrated, like reference characters refer to like or corresponding parts throughout the several views.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the mail box of my invention, showing the door of the box inits open position. Fig. 2 is a detail perspective View of the latch members shown in their latched relation. Fig. 3 is a sectional view through the wall of my mail box, taken on line 33 of Fig. 1, showing the floor in top plan view.

Referring now to the drawings, numeral 1 designates the floor of my mail box, which is preferably rectangular in shape, and upon which is mounted the superstructure of the box. The parallel side walls of my box are preferably formed of a single sheet of metal 2, arched over at the top to form a roof, the side walls and roof being supported by angle iron arches 8 and 4:, preferably positioned adjacent the ends of the box. The

Specification of Letters Patent.

Iatented June 8, 1215.

Serial No. 833,271.

rear end of the box 5 conforms in shape to the vertical cross section of the box, it being attached to the outerside of the rear arch 3 supporting the superstructure.

. I have provided the side wall forming sheet 2 of my box to xtend beyond the bottom 1, and an inturned flange 6 is provided extending upward for that portion of the walls wherein the walls are parallel, that is to say, the flange extends upward from'the floor of the box to the arched portion forming the roof.

In the space between flanges 6 andthe forward arch 4 is adapted to slide a door 7, parallel forward extending flanges 8 being formed on each of the side edges of the door, which flanges are adapted to slide in the inturned flanges 6 on' the side walls of the box. Door 7 conforms in shapeto the vertical cross section of the box, the forward arch at being adapted to form an obstruction to prevent the door from moving inward out of the slide.

I have provided an over-hanging eave 9 on the forward end of my box 2, the eave being formed of an extension of the sheet of metal which forms'the side and top. Likewise I provide an out-turned flange 10 on the upper arched edge of the door 7, which flange is adapted to fit snugly beneath eave 9 when the door 7 is in its closed position.

In order to latch the door securely in place, I have'provided a spring catch 11, preferably riveted or otherwise attached to the top of the box, a hooked portion of the spring catch being turned downward over eave 9 in position to be engaged by a projecting lip 12 securely attached to the outer face of door 7. It will be readily seen that the over-hanging spring catch 11 will be readily drawn outward to disengage the lip 12 when opening the box; Likewise it will be understood that when the door is forced upward in its slide-way, the lip 12 will readily force the catch 11 forward, allowing izhe catch to spring backward and engage the In order to support door 7 when it is lowered to the extreme position of its downward travel, and to prevent the door from falling away from the box, I have provided a metal strip 13 bridging between the side walls across the forward end of the box at the bottom thereof. Strip 13 is positioned to engage the lip 12 to prevent the doc from traveling farther downward.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that my invention provides an inexpensive mail box, which will be simple in operation, and effective in design, and which design will provide a rigid construction and an economical distribution of metal.

I Vhile I have herein described and illustrated the preferred embodiment of my invention, I do not wish to be limited strictly to the details shown, as it is obvious that the arrangement and construction may be varied in many ways, without departing from the broad spirit of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is V 1. In a mail-box, a body having a bottom,

sides, top, back and an open front, a door vertically slidable across the open front, a spring catch member fixed to the top and having a hooked portion over-hanging the Gopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

top, and a projecting lip fixed to the door and positioned to be engaged by the hooked portion of the spring catch to lock the door in its closed position. 7

2. In a mail-box, a body having a bottom, sides, top, back and an open front, a door vertically slidable across the open front, a projecting lip on said door adjacent the top thereof, a horizontal strip across the open front of the box forward of the door and adj acent the bottom ofthe box, and said horizontal strip positioned to engage the projecting lip on the door to prevent the door from falling away from the box when in its open position. v

JESSE CARL TRIMBLE. Witnesses:

FRANK G. Wool), J. C(TRIMBLE.

Washington, D. G.

It is hereby certified that in Letters Patent No. 1,142,286, granted June 8,

1915, upon the application of Jesse Carl Trimble, of North Otter, Illinois, for an improvement in Mail-Boxes, an error appears in the printed specification requiring correction as follows: Page 1, line 5, before the Word have insert the Words whose post-ofiice address is Gimrd, Illinois; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Officei Signed and sealed this 27th day of July, A. D., 1915.

i R. F. WHITEHEAD,

Acting Commissioner of Patents.

[SEAL] 

